Li Zicheng was stunned. He didn't expect Chongzhen to come up with such a peace policy.
They gave him money and fiefdoms on the condition that he retreated to Henan and helped suppress the bandits.
At that moment, he even felt his heart beating!
"Your Majesty, don't be fooled. This is Zhu Youjian's delaying tactic!" Military advisor Song Xiance saw Li Zicheng's hesitation and immediately reminded him.
"Your Majesty, the army has now surrounded Beijing. Zhu Youjian's only way out is to abdicate and hand over the country to the Dashun." Niu Jinxing echoed.
Liu Zongmin even stood up, drew his sword, and put it on Wu Weihua's neck, intending to kill him.
The condition was too tempting, and he was afraid that Li Zicheng would compromise.
After much difficulty, they fought their way here from Shaanxi, trapping Chongzhen and a group of Ming court officials and nobles in Beijing. As long as they could capture the city, the country would change hands.
By then he would not be the Left General or the Marquis of Ru, at the very least he would be a king!
Li Zicheng smiled faintly: "Don't worry, I won't be fooled by Chongzhen."
"Wu Weihua, I have a few questions for you, and you must answer them truthfully!"
"Your Majesty the Emperor Dashun, please speak!" Wu Weihua said with a flattering look on his face.
"Which gate did you leave the city from?"
"West Gate."
"How many defenders are there in the whole of Beijing? How many defenders are there at the West Gate, and how many artillery pieces are there?"
Wu Weihua thought for a moment and said seriously, "The city recruited soldiers a few days ago. Together with the existing garrisons, the number of people guarding the city is about 110,000 to 120,000. The garrison at the West Gate should be less than 10,000. The total number of cannons, muskets, Portuguese cannons, and Portuguese muskets is more than 100, and there are also several hundred other small firearms."
Although Li Zicheng had no expression on his face, he was shocked in his heart.
There were too many firearms.
The West Gate is narrow and easy to defend but difficult to attack. Logically, there wouldn't be too many artillery pieces deployed there, but unexpectedly, the number of large firearms exceeded one hundred.
Beijing City is not easy to attack!
"You won't lie to me, will you?" Li Zicheng narrowed his eyes, filled with murderous intent.
Wu Weihua was no longer as scared as before. He knelt on the ground and kowtowed again: "Your Majesty, the Emperor of Dashun, I am telling the truth. Now I have only one thought. Please, Your Majesty, capture the city as soon as possible so that I and my family can escape from Chongzhen's coercion as soon as possible."
Li Zicheng stared at Wu Weihua's face for a while, then smiled faintly: "Well, I promise you."
"How about this, when you go back, tell Chongzhen that I agree to his peace terms. But my army has come from afar, so it is not easy to withdraw immediately. Let's rest for two or three days before withdrawing."
"Yes, I obey your order." After receiving the order, Wu Weihua did not dare to get up and leave. He could only stay where he was and not move.
"I'm fine now, you can go!"
After getting Li Zicheng's permission, Wu Weihua felt as if he had been pardoned. "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will go back and tell Chongzhen right away."
He stood up, endured the pain in his legs, and walked out unsteadily.
"etc..."
Wu Weihua fell to the ground with a thud. He twisted his stiff neck and said with a trembling voice, "Your Majesty, do you have any other advice?"
"Are there any acquaintances among the guards at the city gates of Beijing?" Li Zicheng showed an expression that said you know what I am talking about.
Wu Weihua had been an official for so many years and although he might not be good at anything else, his ability to read people's expressions was first-rate. He immediately understood what Li Zicheng meant.
After a brief thought, he said, "Your Majesty, the guards of the city gates of the capital are all newly appointed by Chongzhen and the cabinet. I have an average relationship with them."
Seeing that Li Zicheng was a little unhappy, Wu Weihua immediately added: "After I go back, I plan to bribe them with a large sum of money, maybe I can buy off one or two guards."
Li Zicheng smiled faintly: "Well, you can go back."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wu Weihua stood up and was about to leave when there was a loud bang outside!
There were shots fired at Fuchengmen again.
but...
The surroundings did not become quiet after the sound of artillery disappeared. Instead, shouts of killing were heard in the distance.
Li Zicheng frowned and looked at Liu Zongmin. Liu Zongmin didn't know what had happened either. He rushed out with his sword in hand.
After a while, Liu Zongmin returned angrily, holding his sword: "Your Majesty, it is the Ming army's night attack! It is dark and windy at night and we cannot see the number of people clearly. In order to ensure Your Majesty's safety, please come with me and join the main force."
Night attack?
Li Zicheng was stunned at first, then looked at Wu Weihua angrily, "You are really deceiving me, using the name of peace talks to launch a sneak attack!"
Wu Weihua's heart was filled with shock beyond words.
He naively thought that he came here only to discuss peace talks, and after the discussion he would be able to return to the capital to report.
I didn’t expect Chongzhen to launch a sneak attack during the peace talks!
Isn't this just pushing yourself into the fire?
He collapsed on the ground and begged, "Your Majesty, I didn't do that. This is definitely Chongzhen's evil plan. He wants to use Your Majesty to kill me."
Liu Zongmin sneered: "Why would Chongzhen use your majesty's hand to kill you?"
"I...I don't know either!" Wu Weihua looked confused.
Liu Zongmin put his sword against Wu Weihua's chest and said, "Your Majesty, kill him. He has long lost Chongzhen's trust. There is no point in keeping him. It will only waste food."
"General Liu, wait a moment, I think there is something fishy about this matter!" Military advisor Song Xiance spoke up to stop him.
Li Zicheng nodded and agreed with Song Xiance's point of view.
After his anger, he also felt something was wrong.
If Chongzhen wanted to negotiate peace, he would not have arranged a night attack. Since the night attack was launched, it means that the peace talks were fake.
But if they were just pretending to negotiate peace, why would they send a Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Revenue?
This is a third-rank official in the imperial court!
Killing with a borrowed knife?
No need, absolutely no need.
There must be something hidden!
Just when they were puzzled, a soldier ran over from a distance in a panic and shouted at Li Zicheng's personal soldiers.
Whispered something in his ear.
The guard's face suddenly changed after hearing this, and he immediately walked into the tent and knelt on one knee: "Your Majesty, General Liu Fangliang has an urgent report."
"explain!"
Hearing the word "urgent report", Li Zicheng no longer cared about Wu Weihua who was present, and ordered his personal soldiers to report immediately.
"Yes, someone just took advantage of the Ming army's night attack to set fire to General Liu Fangliang's food and grass. The weather was dry, and the night wind was strong, so the fire was very fierce."
"General Liu Fangliang asks the emperor to send troops to help put out the fire!"
"What?" Li Zicheng stood up suddenly.
The army was not rich in food and fodder, and the Ming court moved all the people from dozens of miles around the capital into the city, which had a great impact on their supply.
Now that Liu Fangliang's food supplies have been burned, the issue of food is secondary. It is very likely to shake the morale of the army!
Negotiate peace, attack at night, and burn food supplies!
Li Zicheng finally got angry.
In a rage, his originally sunken forehead bulged instantly.
He drew his sword and chopped Wu Weihua, who was lying on the ground, to death.
He roared: "Zhu Youjian, I swear to kill you!"
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